A New Dawn
by xXxRavenXDameonxXx
Summary: "Wing and I will make a prey-hunter of you yet!" Gray purred. "Once your shoulder.." His voice died in his throat as Tawnypelt looked away. It always happened this way. They would share caught-prey and talk and he would forget that Tawynpelt and her companions had their own agenda-and that they had no idea that their ancestors had chosen Stormfur to save their tribe. "I'm sorry.."
1. Prologue

Prologue

Piercing green eyes met dark, smoldering amber, shimmering with too many emotions to name.

"Are you sure?" His voice was soft and lilted like his Tribe-mates, edged with hesitant hope.

There was the smallest of pauses, before those green eyes—sometimes as sharp as an eagle's talons, sometimes as soft as down feathers—turned away in a desperate attempt to hide the fear that suddenly shone in them.

"So much has changed," she whispered. "I..." She seemed to steel her resolve, meeting his warm gaze again, seeming to hold herself a little taller. "My place is no longer with my Clan," she spoke more strongly with every word, though her paws trembled. "My place..." She took a deep breath, and the determination in her eyes melted into something much more tender. "My place is with you."


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Everything was silent.

The sun was past its peak, but nowhere near setting, and all that stood between hunter and prey was one well-timed jump. Thorn-sharp claws stayed carefully sheathed, though, dark amber eyes never straying from their target even as the sound of beating wings filled the air. With a mighty screech, a falcon dove out of the sky, and without even a heartbeat of hesitation the pale gray tabby launched himself at the mighty bird of prey. His timing couldn't have been better, sinking his claws into the falcon's tawny wings as the bird's talons pierced the rabbit, killing it instantly. After only a brief struggle, the falcon went limp in the tom's jaws. With a relieved sigh, Gray lifted his catch, glancing around warily before turning tail and heading back to his two cave-guard companions.

"An excellent catch, Gray," Scree rumbled appreciatively. The prey-hunter dipped his head in thanks, unable to mumble anything in return around his still-warm catch.

"Let's get back to the cave quickly," Night shifted her weight uncomfortably, her sharp green gaze constantly raking the gray mountainside. Gray blinked sympathetically at the she-cat, who had been a to-be until just a few dawns ago. Her discomfort wasn't misguided. Gray was just as—if not more—on edge than the cave-guards that accompanied him, and with a brisk nod, he set off down the trail they had followed on their hunt. As the sun began to set, Gray felt his paws begin to prickle with unease, and he picked up his pace, gradually speeding up until he was racing over the stony path. His pads were tough and used to the unforgiving terrain, and his fur thick enough now that the wind hardly broke his pale gray tabby pelt.

It wasn't until he could see the waterfall that Gray began to slow his pace again, falling into a steady trot as he climbed the Path of Rushing Water. It wasn't until he was inside the Cave of Rushing Water that he allowed himself to relax, his shoulders slumping as he padded across the smooth cave floor and deposited his catch in the pile of caught-prey.

"Gray!"

The pale gray tabby lifted his head, a purr rising in his throat as his sister bounded towards him. He could see Mist watching from the nursery, her blue eyes warm.

"Wing," Gray dipped his head to touch his nose to the pretty she-cat's. "Did you have any luck hunting today?"

The gray and white she-cat shuffled her paws, licking her chest fur self-consciously before bringing her amber eyes to meet his again. They were as warm as ever, but softer than he had ever seen them before. "About that..." she mewed sheepishly. "Stoneteller has ordered me not to leave the cave any more."

Gray blinked, only mildly surprised. He was beginning to connect the clues he had been given, another, deeper purr begin to rumble in his chest, even before his litter-mate murmured her next words.

"I'm expecting kits..!"

"That's great, Wing!" He licked her ears as she pressed her muzzle against his shoulder. As she stepped back again, Gray noticed her eyes straying to Scree as the cave-guard spoke quietly with Crag. With a glint of mischief in his eyes, Gray flicked his tail towards the mottled brown tom. "Have you told him yet?"

Wing instantly ducked her head, licking self-consciously at her ruffled chest fur, her ears flattening. Gray rolled his eyes, touching his tail-tip to her shoulder. "He'll be thrilled, Wing. He really cares for you."

"You really think he'll be excited...?" She peeked up at her brother, who blinked reassuringly at her.

"I know he will, Wing." He paused, taking note that Crag had left to take a post near the cave entrance. "And it looks like we're about to find out." He stepped back a little as Scree joined them, his blue eyes never leaving Wing.

"Hello, Wing," he murmured, bending to touch his nose to the top of her head.

"Hey," Wing purred softly, pressing herself against the large tom. "I," she hesitated slightly, and Gray cut in helpfully,

"She's got something important to tell you, if you've got a minute." He pried the rabbit from the falcons talons and pushed it towards them. "Why don't you share a meal while you speak?"

Scree blinked curiously at Wing, but nodded. "I came to ask her to share with me anyway," he rumbled, bending to pick up the caught-prey. As the cave-guard turned to pad towards the edge of the cave, Gray gave his sister an encouraging nudge.

"Go on," he mewed playfully.

Wing blinked warmly at her brother, her amber eyes glowing with gratitude. "Thank-you, Gray." She mewed, her voice thick with emotion.

"Anytime," the prey-hunter shrugged nonchalantly, his warmth dissipating like the morning mist as his sister padded away. He _was_ happy for his litter-mate. If any cat would make a great kit-mother, it was her. _But she's also a brilliant prey-hunter. With Mist still in the nursery with her kits, and Wing moving to the nursery, we've only three prey-hunters. In the time of freed water that would be okay, but..._ He felt a chill creep down his spine. _With Sharptooth hunting us as we hunt rabbits, and scaring all of the prey away... It's possible that we may not have enough food to go around soon..._ The thought of his sister's kits having to go with less food send a rush of rage through the prey-hunter's body. _Silver cat, if you're out there..._ His claws scraped against the cave floor as he glared at the waterfall that protected them from everything in the mountains except Sharptooth. _You had better get here soon. We can't survive much longer like this..._

* * *

"No!" Gray leaped to his paws, his legs trembling beneath him as his breath escaped his throat in ragged gasps.

Brook sat up groggily beside him, her gray eyes foggy. "Gray? Are you alright? Did something happen?"

The pale gray tabby shuddered, sinking back into his nest before shaking his head. "Nothing happened," he rasped softly. "It was just..." Images of Sharptooth's jaws closing around Wing's slender form took his voice for a moment, before he pushed them from his mind. "It was just a dream."

Brook blinked sympathetically at him. "I understand," she murmured. "It's been a long time since any of us have had pleasant dreams..."

Gray sighed. "I'm going to go hunt."

"I told Crag I would hunt the valley today," Brook mewed, settling back into her nest to get more sleep.

"I'll hunt upstream, then." Gray stood and shook the excess moss and feathers from his pelt before stretching. The roar of the waterfall comforted him, soothing his shaken nerves as he padded towards the cave-guards' hollow. Much to his relief, Sheer was emerging as he approached.

"Good morning, Gray," the cave-guard yawned. "Already itching to hunt?"

Gray raised his paw in greeting before responding, "You know me."

Sheer chuckled. "Alright, let's get going."

Gray led the way out of the cave into the cold pre-dawn light. It was raining, as it had been for the past few days, and as they climbed up beside the waterfall the prey-hunter took note of how full its river was. The rain was chilly, and though his pale pelt blended naturally with the mountainside, Gray went ahead and rolled in the mud beside the river before they continued, layering up to keep from catching a cold.

"We may not have much luck today," Sheer observed, narrowing his eyes at the thick clouds above them.

"Maybe so," Gray acknowledged, padding slowly along the familiar hunting trail, keeping his yes sharp and his ears pricked. "But the Tribe must eat."

By the time the sun reached its peak, Sheer's words had proven themselves to be more than true, his entire catch consisting of a mouse and a rabbit. No birds of prey were circling the sky, even as the rain subsided and the clouds began to break up.

 _Still,_ Gray thought as they made their way quickly back to the Cave of Rushing Water so Sheer could take over guard duty, _It will be enough for Mist and Wing to share._

Climbing the Path of Rushing Water, Gray caught an unfamiliar scent, exchanging a bewildered glance with Sheer as he quickened his pace. The scent grew stronger as they entered the cave, and the sight that greeted them nearly made the prey-hunter drop his catch.

Standing in the middle of the cave, huddled together and soaked to the bone, were a band of strange, foreign cats. One of them was speaking to Stoneteller, and Mist was leading one towards the spare sleeping hollows. Sheer immediately joined the rest of the Tribe, circled curiously around the strangers. Gray brought his catch to the pile, then approached more slowly. It seemed that one of them, a big tabby standing towards the middle of the small group of cats, was finishing some sort of telling. Gray couldn't hear much from the edge of his gathered Tribe, but he heard the words "prophecy" and "StarClan" enough to put some of the pieces together. When the stranger finally fell silent, Stoneteller meowed something to the group, before signaling for the Tribe to go about their duties with a flick of his tail.

It took a few heartbeats, but eventually Flight broke away from the group to go hunt, gathering Night, Brook, and Scree as she parted. Her movement reminded the others of Stonetellers silent order, and they all broke away, murmuring quietly to themeselves.

"Gray."

The pale gray tabby turned, surprised to see Stoneteller approaching him. "Yes, Stoneteller?"

The healer beckoned towards the strangers. "I've told Wing to tend to their injuries," he rumbled. "But those among them that are fit wish to hunt for themselves. Please see to it that they are comfortable for the rest of today, and take those that wish to join on your hunt tomorrow."

Gray dipped his head respectfully. "Of course." With a curious tilt of his head, Gray padded across the cave to where his sister sat with the strange cats.

"I am Wing Shadow Over Water," she was meowing softly, raising her paw in greeting.

"And I am Gray Sky Before Dawn," the prey-hunter added, sitting beside his litter-mate.

The big tabby that had been telling their story earlier dipped his head formally. "I'm Brambleclaw," he meowed. "And this is Squirrelpaw." He motioned to the small, dark ginger she-cat beside him.

"And I'm Feathertail," a gray she-cat spoke up, her sodden fur nearly as dark as the shadows that clung to the far edges of the cave. "And this is Stormfur, and Crowpaw," she flicked her tail towards two toms in turn, one gray and one nearly black. Suddenly, Gray understood. The first she had indicated was a paler gray, ruffled as it began to dry.

"And this must be Tawnypelt," Wing mewed, her voice filling with sympathy as her amber eyes fell to the final foreign cat. Gray followed her gaze, feeling a rush of sympathy of his own as he saw the gaping wound on the she-cat's shoulder. "I was told she needed treatment urgently."

The one called Feathertail nodded. "Yes, please, if you can... She's got a fever now..."

"Fear not," Wing reassured her. "Stoneteller knows of all the healing herbs in the mountains. I will fetch some from him now.

As she left, Gray glanced the small group over again. "I didn't hear your story," he began apologetically. "And I'm not going to ask you to repeat it, as it seemed long. But I would like to tell you that while you are here you are the guests of the Tribe. We have plenty of caught-prey in that pile," he flicked his tail towards the pile before continuing, "so help yourself."

"We would like to hunt for ourselves," Brambleclaw spoke up. "If that's okay."

Gray nodded. "Of course. Stoneteller already told me that you wanted to hunt, and to take an of you who were interested out on a hunt with me tomorrow."

"So you're a prey-hunter like Wing?" Squirrelpaw piped up, her green eyes shining with curiosity.

"Yes," Gray mewed warmly. "She is my sister. She cannot hunt for a while, though. She is to be a kit-mother soon."

Feathertail's eyes lit up. "That's wonderful news!"

"It is," Gray purred.

"What's wonderful news..?" The rasp came from the wounded tortoiseshell she-cat, and Gray glanced curiously at her as she sat up.

"Gray's sister is expecting kits," Feathertail relayed softly. "How are you feeling, Tawnypelt?"

The tortoiseshell—called Tawnypelt—rolled her eyes. "How does it look like I'm feeling?" She growled.

"My sister will be back soon with herbs," Gray told her, blinking sympathetically at the stranger. He was surprised when she only narrowed her eyes into a fierce green glare.

"I don't need your sympathy," she muttered bitterly. "I'd rather be dead than pitied."

Gray's whiskers twitched, amusement suddenly glimmering in his eyes. "My apologies," he offered, not bothering to hide the humor in his voice. "If I'm not to pity you then would you rather me take you out hunting tomorrow?"

For a moment, the stranger looked taken aback, before she scoffed half-heartedly and turned away, lying back down in the stone hollow. Gray blinked, realizing that these foreigners had no materials with which to make nests.

"Her fever will never break if she sleeps against the cool rock like that," he mentioned to no cat in particular. Then, "I'll be right back." As he padded away, he passed Wing, her mouth full of strong smelling herbs. The gray and white she-cat couldn't speak around them, so she merely brushed her tail along his flank as they passed each other, as if she knew where he was going and appreciated the thought. It didn't take him long to gather what he needed from the prey-hunters' hollow, scraping together the moss and feathers from Mist and Wing's empty nests, as well as his own, before going back to the travelers.

"Here," he dropped the materials unceremoniously in front of Brambleclaw, who seemed to be the leader of their small expedition. "This is all we can spare at the moment, but we can gather more while we hunt tomorrow."

The dark brown tabby seemed surprised, glancing at Stormfur as if seeking the proper way to answer Gray's gesture. The prey-hunter rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "Don't worry about it," he meowed. "Stoneteller told me to make you comfortable, and I know first-paw how uncomfortable it can be sleeping on noting but rocks.

Wing let out an amused purr from where she sat beside Tawnypelt, gently rubbing a poultice into her wound. "Yes," she agreed. "When we were just to-bes Gray forgot to gather moss and feathers for the elders and had to give them his."

Gray growled playfully at his sister, batting at her tail.

"What's a to-be?" Squirrelpaw echoed, her eyes wide.

"You," Gray answered, his whiskers twitching. "Or at least I'm assuming you're a to-be. You certainly seem to small to already be a cave-guard or a prey-hunter."

They all seemed amused by his statement, though Squirrelpaw lashed her tail. "I'm not that small!"

Feathertail sat up a little straighter, her eyes curious. "So all of your duties are divided?"

"Yes," Wing answered. "We can explain more tomorrow, but for now, you all look exhausted. Please, get some rest."

Stormfur nodded. "She's right," he murmured. "We've had a long day."

As if on cue, Squirrelpaw yawned, and Gray felt his whiskers twitching. "We'll leave you now. If you need anything, please let me know. I'll be just over there." He flicked his tail towards the prey-hunters' hollow before turning and taking his leave.

"They're so interesting," Wing whispered as they padded away together.

"Yes," Gray agreed softly. "They certainly are." He paused, bending to rasp his tongue over her ear. "Now go get some sleep. You're exhausted. You shouldn't be on your paws all day like this."

The soon-to-be kit-mother rolled her eyes. "Alright, alright," she touched her muzzle to his shoulder. "Goodnight, Gray."

"Goodnight." Gray watched her walk back to the nursery, her pawsteps slow and heavy, before he returned to his now-barren nest. _Interesting indeed..._ He thought, growing drowsy as he rested his chin on his paws. His mind flickered to each of them in turn, lingering on the witty tortoiseshell his sister had been tending to. _Tomorrow will certainly be interesting as well..._


End file.
